Kids head back to class Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019 at Lankershim Elementary School on the first day of school after an LAUSD teachers strike that lasted a week and two days. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

After a nine-day strike that disrupted learning at hundreds of Los Angeles schools, the city’s public school teachers, counselors, librarians and psychologists returned to classrooms on Wednesday.

Though overwhelmingly relieved to be back at work, administrators and teachers were also faced with the challenge of returning to normal campus routines after a week of strife and months of contentious contract negotiations.

As students filed into school in their uniforms, teacher Hannah Yahudian at Mulholland Middle School Wednesday morning said she felt Tuesday’s morning announcement and subsequent evening approval of a deal was rushed.

“I wish we had more time to look it over. Hearing about it at 12 o’clock and voting on it at 5 o’clock, I was pouring over it with a fine-toothed comb,” she said.

The deal includes a 6 percent raise for teachers, a reduction of one student per class next year in grades 4 through 12 with one more the year after and two more the year after that. It still must be reviewed by the Los Angeles County Office of Education and approved by the L.A. school board.

At Mulholland Middle School in Balboa Park, multiple teachers decided to cross the picket lines and stay in classrooms. Yahudian seemed confident professionalism would prevail.

“We can have a difference of opinion and still get along with each other. Maybe I’m being overly optimistic, but I’m happy to be back at work and I’m happy to see my friends that were and weren’t on the line.”

Coordinator of the school’s robotics program Joel Domine agreed.

“When it comes to coming to school with a grudge, I have too much to do and can’t burden myself with that stuff,” he said. “Trust me when I tell you that when those teachers go back they are so happy to be teaching again and being back at work.”

Domine said he felt particularly inspired by the deal’s announcement Tuesday as L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti described students who sounded akin to Mulholland Middle’s own.

“He said ‘It’s the young lady in the San Fernando who wants to be an engineer and send something to Mars’ and I’m just thinking of Ms. Silverman’s Mars rover in the robotics class and then he said ‘Or the kid who wants to get into film production’ and we have that here and then ‘or the kid that wants to be in a jazz band’ and we have a band here too.”

Kids head back to class Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019 at Lankershim Elementary School on the first day of school after an LAUSD teachers strike that lasted a week and two days. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Kids head back to class Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019 at Lankershim Elementary School on the first day of school after an LAUSD teachers strike that lasted a week and two days. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

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Kids head back to class Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019 at Lankershim Elementary School on the first day of school after an LAUSD teachers strike that lasted a week and two days. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Kids head back to class Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019 at Lankershim Elementary School on the first day of school after an LAUSD teachers strike that lasted a week and two days. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Kids head back to class Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019 at Lankershim Elementary School on the first day of school after an LAUSD teachers strike that lasted a week and two days. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Students head back to Colfax Charter Elementary in Valley Village on Wednesday, January 23, 2019 after a six-day LAUSD teachers strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

Students head back to Colfax Charter Elementary in Valley Village on Wednesday, January 23, 2019 after a six-day LAUSD teachers strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

Campus aid Kate King welcomes students back to Colfax Charter Elementary in Valley Village on Wednesday, January 23, 2019 after a six-day LAUSD teachers strike. Aids were not on strike with the teachers and King was on campus working during the strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

Chris Prell takes his 7-year-old twins Gavin and Jayden back to Colfax Charter Elementary in Valley Village on Wednesday, January 23, 2019 after a six-day LAUSD teachers strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

Marie Haberman brings her 8-year-old son Jonah, a third-grader, back to Colfax Charter Elementary in Valley Village on Wednesday, January 23, 2019 after a six-day LAUSD teachers strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

Campus aid Kate King welcomes students back to Colfax Charter Elementary in Valley Village on Wednesday, January 23, 2019 after a six-day LAUSD teachers strike. Aids were not on strike with the teachers and King was on campus working during the strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

Campus aid Kate King hugs parents as she welcomes students back to Colfax Charter Elementary in Valley Village on Wednesday, January 23, 2019 after a six-day LAUSD teachers strike. Aids were not on strike with the teachers and King was on campus working during the strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

Students head back to Colfax Charter Elementary in Valley Village on Wednesday, January 23, 2019 after a six-day LAUSD teachers strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

Teachers and students returned to Carson Street Elementary in Carson on Wednesday January 23, 2019 after a labor agreement between the LAUSD and the teachers union was reached on Tuesday. Photo By Chuck Bennett

Teachers and students returned to Carson Street Elementary in Carson on Wednesday January 23, 2019 after a labor agreement between the LAUSD and the teachers union was reached on Tuesday. Teachers pose for a welcome back picture in front of the school. Photo By Chuck Bennett

Teachers and students returned to Carson Street Elementary in Carson on Wednesday January 23, 2019 after a labor agreement between the LAUSD and the teachers union was reached on Tuesday. Photo By Chuck Bennett

Teachers and students returned to Carson Street Elementary in Carson on Wednesday January 23, 2019 after a labor agreement between the LAUSD and the teachers union was reached on Tuesday. Photo By Chuck Bennett

Principal Gregory Vallone oversaw multiple teachers who crossed the line, adminis and district subs as 400-800 students came to his school every day during the strike. On the transition back: “We haven’t had one of these in a long time…you gotta see how things play out.” pic.twitter.com/fjo3NT466S

Mulholland Middle principal Dr. Gregory Vallone said it’s too soon to reflect on the transition process from the strike and whether the new contract will reflect in real change at schools.

“On site, you’ve got to see how things play out. Because they say this thing and that thing is going to happen. But when you’re really on the front lines doing the work, you see how everything lays out at your school,” he said.

Vallone oversaw between 400 and 800 on each day of the strike, with at least 60 adult staff on hand – including teachers who crossed the picket line, substitute and administrators.

Teachers said that some of their colleagues were worried about retirement benefits, some were new teachers afraid of losing their position and others simply disagreed with union conduct and demands.

At Carson Street Elementary Wednesday morning in Carson, parent Dorris Espinosa dropped her three nieces and nephews off at school with a sigh of relief. Espinosa had been playing teacher the past week, attempting to instruct the kids on math and other subjects using textbooks she had at home.

“Now I know what the teachers feel like,” she said with a smile.

Although it was a challenge to make it through the week with the kids at home, Espinosa said she felt the minor disruption was worth gains made.

Earlier this year, Espinosa said her nephew fell and struck his head at school and there was no school nurse on campus that day, which made getting care for him more difficult. As part of the deal struck between UTLA and LAUSD officials this week, the district agreed to staff every school with a full-time nurse.

“It was good in a way because the teachers got what they wanted,” she said.

Pia Alcayaga, who dropped her daughter off at Carson Street Elementary echoed that sentiment. Instead of going to school, her daughter went to her friend’s house each day.

“It’s not good or bad,” Alcayaga said. “I felt bad because my child was out of school but it had a purpose so it was worth it.”

Rick Sander who had a 5th grader at Carson Elementary School said he was happy to have his daughter back in school.

“It was boring,” he said. “She wanted more learning but she had no choice… It’s enough.”

Ariella is a reporter for the Los Angeles Daily News covering local government, education and culture in the San Fernando Valley. A Valley native, she previously worked as a freelance journalist in Israel and the Palestinian Territories.

David Rosenfeld has been working as a professional journalist for nearly 20 years at newspapers, magazines and websites. He's covered murder trials, interviewed governors and presidential candidates and once did a flip in a biplane for a story assignment. Before joining The Daily Breeze in 2018 to cover El Segundo, Hawthorne and aerospace, he worked at The Beach Reporter in Redondo Beach. In his free time, David loves outdoor sports such as sailing, mountain biking and golfing.